Seattle endured snow and cold this week. The plants all knew it was coming, of course, but the humans were shocked.
In the past week, I’ve added a couple of gift plants to the garden. My brother provided me with two strong fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) divisions. My attempts to grow this plant from seed didn’t get far. These big, healthy divisions will jumpstart my efforts. I planted one in the corner of the native plant garden between the Douglas aster clump and the native grasses. I planted the second division several yards away behind the grass.
In addition, friend Staci dug up a bracken fern ( Pteridium aquilinum) from her wild yard at my request. I popped that into a bare spot away from everything. These ferns can spread and I’m looking forward to that!
Here is how the winter garden looks as of today–several views.
Three isn’t a lot to see right now. Even the Osoberry hasn’t bloomed yet and is just starting to unfurl. The red-flowered currant shrub buds are really swelling but it will still be at least a month before we see flowers. The tall Oregon grape has buds almost open, as well. What do the hummingbirds eat this time of year?
I’ve had a couple of new bird species this year already. We have a Townsend’s warbler that feeds at the suet feeder frequently. Such a beautiful bird! In addition, I saw a yellow-rumped warbler this last week. There is a fox sparrow that is hanging around, too–quite dapper with its chestnut cap. The usual suspects are coming around a lot, including Bewick’s wrens, spotted towhees, black-capped chickadees, chestnut-backed chickadees, red-breasted nuthatch, and bushtits. I hear Steller’s jays and American robins every morning but not in our yard. A northern flicker was hanging from the suet feeder the other day–an amazing bird!
Despite the cold weather some of the native seeds I planted in the winter have sprouted–the lupines and the Oregon sunshine, in particular. The 20-degree cold hasn’t fazed them at all.
The Phacelia seedlings started late last summer, however, appear to have given up, half after the first major cold snap/snow and the rest died this week.